Together with Jiang Xiao, she found a stool in the Honor of Kings Competition Area and sat down. Song Qiuyu stroked her chest, which was still thumping wildly.
“I don’t know if it’s an illusion, but that feeling just now was very scary!” It was as if she had been bitten by a poisonous snake.
“Don’t worry.”
Jiang Xiao tightly held her cold little hand.
“I will definitely protect you.”
Hearing this, Song Qiuyu turned her face and looked at Jiang Xiao blankly. A smile slowly appeared on her pretty face.
“Well, I must have the ability to save myself too. It seems I really have to go to the gym and practice some self-defense!”
“Self-defense?” Jiang Xiao raised an eyebrow. “Xi’er, are you talking about—the kind like the Gangster’s Excitement Punch?”
“…”
Song Qiuyu pursed her lips, not wanting to admit it. However, she had to admit that even if she practiced Military Boxing, it probably wouldn’t be very intimidating.
She looked at her thin hands and feet, then at the box of unfinished takoyaki on her lap, and took a deep breath.
Holding a toothpick, she picked up a piece of takoyaki, wanting to eat it quickly while it was hot. She wanted to grow stronger now more than ever!
However, her slender wrist was immediately caught. With a turn, that takoyaki fell into Jiang Xiao’s mouth!
“?”
Her eyes grew wider than bronze gongs. He actually snatched food from the tiger’s mouth!
“You said your stomach wasn’t feeling well. If you’re going to act, you have to act until the end!”
“Oh.”
“Here, you should eat candy instead.”
“Okay.”
Staring at the orange-flavored Da Bai Tu milk candy in her palm, Song Qiuyu dazed out for a while before trying to unwrap it.
Suddenly, both of her cheeks were cupped by the person beside her and turned to one side. In her field of vision, there was another Keqing Coser.
Even though it was already 2026, the popularity of the “shredded meat master” was still very high.
Watching her, Song Qiuyu suddenly remembered the incident at the Scenic Area. She deliberately grumbled a few words and then continued to unwrap the milk candy.
Before she could put the candy in her mouth, her ear became moist and warm. Jiang Xiao’s breath brushed against her face and neck. In an instant, more than half of her ear turned red.
“There’s something I’ve never told you.”
“Actually, I remembered almost everything that happened after I got drunk that day by the next morning.”
“Including the part where I tackled you.”
“…”
Song Qiuyu squeezed the milk candy, her lips slightly parted.
‘Ah?’
She turned her face and saw the half-smile on Jiang Xiao’s face. Certain that he was laughing at her, she pouted. She gave him a small, annoyed kick. “What’s so funny?”
“Your feet must have hurt a lot back then, right? And the hotel at the Scenic Area—even if we only stayed for one night, the price wasn’t cheap. But back then, you clearly had to rely on a part-time job to earn your living expenses.”
Jiang Xiao spoke at the same time. Song Qiuyu was stunned.
“The me from back then was really worrying and speechless, right?” Jiang Xiao’s voice was a bit low, as if he was talking to himself, filled with regret.
“Instead of saying you were worrying and speechless, you should say you were very annoying and terrible,” Song Qiuyu said, deliberately putting on a stern face.
“Was I really that annoying and terrible?” Jiang Xiao looked up at her.
“You were exactly that!”
Song Qiuyu saw Jiang Xiao smile, so she smiled too.
With a mix of teasing and banter, she nodded and said firmly, “If it were anyone else, they might have been socially ruined. They wouldn’t have any friends for the four years of university, everyone would hate them, and they would live like a rat crossing the street.”
“If people knew about such a miserable past, no one would sympathize. It would only invite ridicule. Others would only want to watch the fun and gossip about you. Humans find it hard to empathize with others in the first place—they can’t even empathize with their past selves!”
“Do you remember when school first started? I tried to talk to you, but you didn’t say a word the whole time. You made me feel like a mental patient talking to myself.”
“Yes, of course I remember.”
“At that time, I already didn’t really want to pay attention to you anymore!”
“But you still did.”
“Because I’m a good person.”
“You’re a good person?”
“Even saints can make mistakes. Good people can also do a few wrong things. Besides, it’s impossible for a person to always be just a good person or a bad person!” Song Qiuyu put the milk candy into her mouth. Her logic might not have been perfectly sound, but she was very confident.
“Ah, yes, yes, yes. Whatever Xi’er says is right!” Jiang Xiao laughed even more brightly. Annoyed, he pinched the part of the milk candy sticking out of her mouth, though he didn’t continue to argue with her.
After all, as stated in the rules for men: whatever your wife says is right. If she is wrong somewhere, then you must have been wrong somewhere too.
You must actively correct yourself and then help her correct herself.
A good man doesn’t argue with his wife with words; if he wants to compete, he should do it in bed.
Song Qiuyu tried to pull the candy away with her teeth, but found she couldn’t move it.
Hardening her heart, she pursed her lips tightly twice, opened her small mouth, and bit the finger Jiang Xiao was using to pinch the candy.
Seeing this, Jiang Xiao was silent for a moment. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “It seems I was right to wash my hands in advance.”
“Humph.”
Song Qiuyu deliberately bit Jiang Xiao’s finger. She was like a newborn kitten whose teeth hadn’t fully grown yet; it didn’t hurt, only causing a tingling, itchy sensation.
Jiang Xiao let go of the candy.
Then, he saw her chew it for a long while before she suddenly lowered her hat, raised the Hanamichi Sakuragi peripheral box to block both of their faces, and quickly brought her lips close to give him a little kiss as if to coax him.
Seeing this, Jiang Xiao’s eyes darkened, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. An instant before she could kiss him, he took the initiative and kissed her.
Their lips pressed together, and their eyes met.
Song Qiuyu felt as if she had been hit by an electric shock.
With a whoosh, she retracted her neck and adjusted her sitting posture.
“It tastes like milk candy and takoyaki. Why does everything taste so much better when it’s on Xi’er’s lips?” Jiang Xiao teased.
“That was the promised little reward.” Song Qiuyu pouted with flushed cheeks and turned her face away. “Also, I didn’t say those things to belittle you or try to PUA you. I just…”
“Yeah, I know.” Jiang Xiao smiled brightly and said, “Neither of us was wrong, but then again, both of us were.”
Hearing this, Song Qiuyu seemed to snap out of it. She began to cautiously watch the gazes of those around them.
Fortunately, everyone was focused on the competition, and no one had noticed them. She couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
“It’s just that by comparison, Xi’er, my state of mind might still be far worse than yours.” Jiang Xiao’s voice was heavy and a bit helpless.
“Hmm?” Song Qiuyu turned her face and looked at Jiang Xiao curiously.
“Give me some more time. I will become your true boyfriend in the most ideal state,” Jiang Xiao said, rubbing her head and smiling gently.
Song Qiuyu was stunned.
Actually, she felt he was already doing well enough.
But perhaps just as she always felt she needed to work harder, Jiang Xiao also had high expectations for himself.
However, having this kind of psychology… at its core, it was probably a fear that the other person would leave because they weren’t good enough.
She gazed into his eyes.
She seemed to still see the faint shadow of the boy from the beginning of the school year—the one who looked miserable, dejected, and depressed from head to toe.
Even if he had walked out of that unbearable past, would it still haunt Jiang Xiao like a ghost?
Thinking of this, Song Qiuyu couldn’t help but open her arms and hug Jiang Xiao. A stronger sense of responsibility rose from deep within her heart.
In the past, it was always Jiang Xiao who saved the day when she was anxious and who loved her firmly. Now it was her turn.
Jiang Xiao’s heart skipped a beat.
He couldn’t help but bury his face in the girl’s warm neck and closed his eyes tightly.
His poor state of mind wasn’t a lie; because he had lost her once, he couldn’t bear to lose her again.
He craved to hold the warmth he had now tightly in his hand, to possess it forever. But this excessive craving shouldn’t exist.
He had to adjust his state of mind.
After hugging for a while longer, Song Qiuyu let go of Jiang Xiao with a red face and stuffed the last takoyaki into his mouth.
“I can’t be the only one getting fat. I’m going to raise you to be fair and plump too!” Song Qiuyu said with a giggle.
Jiang Xiao didn’t know what to say, so he just laughed along.
Just then, with a beep, Song Qiuyu’s phone received a message.
[Store Manager]: Xiao Keqing, it’s been a while since we’ve been in touch. How have you been lately? I have a high-paying job at a comic convention, also cosplaying as Keqing. If you have any free time, you could consider it!
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